Is the Party over? A Book Review

I’m stretching out of my usual content (whatever the heck that really is) in order to post a book review.  I’m not planning to make a complete habit out of this, but I figured I could throw one in once in a while. After all, I’m an author and I ought to help out my fellow authors, right?

John Reinhard Dizon’s Hezbollah (The Party) manages to mix nostalgia, music, the mafia, boxing, and Middle Eastern tensions into one story about relationships and what causes people to move on.

The plot moves forward through the prism of different points of view from members of the band Hezbollah, each sharing their own fractures while working to pull the entire story together through flashbacks  and the progression of the present time as they are all faced with the possibility of a reunion show in Megiddo.  The problem is they are all torn as to whether or not they can pull it together again for one more show, especially one that forces them to relive the trauma and loss they experienced the last time, and having to accept that they aren’t all kids anymore.

I love stories with good characters and strong friendships, and this has both.  Though years have passed and not all members of Hezbollah have kept in touch, they all share a connection deeper than they even understand, yet it’s not all rainbows.  There’s an underlying darkness that has inserted itself in their relationships, though they hold one another up in times of need. The reader is able to learn what has happened to each character and what may have driven them to where they end up.

Another quality to appreciate in this book is the author’s knowledge of the music scene, giving it an authentic feel while reading. I recommend this book to music lovers or anyone who appreciates a good, reflective look back on life.